The Great Dragon
by Usuian13
Summary: Many, many tried but all fail, and to the boredom of the Dragon people stop trying to kill him. They stop, since one hundred and forty years ago, after the favorite son of the emperor die trying to slay the beast. Until today. (Chack eventually)
1. The Great Dragon

The Dragon and The Prince

High on the mountains of the glorious land of China a Dragon lives. The beast sleeps in a cave full with treasures, eats the land's food, scares the inhabits of the many villages, sinks the foreigners' trade ships onto the deep sea, and no brave prince, virtuous knight or smart village boy can defeat the dragon. Many, many tried but all fail, and to the boredom of the Dragon people stop trying to kill him. They stop, since one hundred and forty years ago, after the favorite son of the emperor die trying to slay the beast.

Until today.

The beast yawns widely, and the quiet construction of the trap or weapon stops. In less than a week time, young warriors started working in something in front of the dragon's cage, hidden by the bamboo forest but not from the sensible hearing of the beast. The animal turns and goes to sleep, and he waits until the construction once again begins. Whispers barely audible are spoken, and the first one to speak, to the surprise of the dragon, is a girl.

"This is stupid!" She was fast _shh_ by a coworker. She continues, but in an even lower voice. "This animal haven't fight anyone in more than one hundred years. How hard can be killing it? If you, oh strong warriors, are scare of the green lizard, then you can hide behind me. _I _will slay the beast."

The dragon was annoy, like he would die that easily just because someone says so, but impressed of the girl's bravery/stupidity. Soon, someone answers her, a foreigner -Portugal or Spain.

"Listen, _Princess_, I know you think everything on life is easy -and I don't blame you, everything had been easy for you- but killing a dragon isn't!"

'Oh, a princess' The beast enjoys the drama, so bore from the lack of companionship, and got ready for the girls' response but an other male-very young-voice answer.

"Oh, Ruduno don't hold it against her; after all, she is simple a girl."

"Raimundo! Ra-i-mun-do"

A light pair of feet moves to the edge of the bamboo wall, and a heavy pair of footsteps are soon next to the first person.

"That wouldn't be very smart, would be? Lady Kimiko." The voice was tick yet soft, but more importantly had let known to the beast that both were foreigners as well. Raimundo and his companion are too involve in the pronunciation of a name to even notice that Kimiko almost run to the cave of the dragon alone.

"I can show them, all of them. I'm strong, I..." The girl sound very determinant and sad, and what is a princess form Japan doing on the mountains of China.

"You cannot if you are dead" There is silence between those two, interrupted by Raimundo.

"Hey, from now on I'm Rai"

The construction continues.

The dragon feeds in their gossip. All want to kill the dragon, but all had different reasons. Clay the calm man with the strong voice wants to make his village stop living at the mercy of a beast. 'Noble, he will die for a noble cause' The dragon thinks without much care.

Rai wants to sell the dragon's scales and treasure. 'Let your own greed kill you.'

Omi, the youngest of all, want to had the tittle of Dragon warrior and prove his superior martial skills. 'Lets see.'

Kimiko Tohomiko needs to bring the dragon's head to prove her father that she is strong enough to take care of her people. 'oh, interesting.'

The beast smiles at the opponents he has.


	2. The Dragon's fall

It was dark, and a single small flame was all the warriors could afford to warm themselves without being discover. They whisper, like every night, but tonight was different. Tonight will be their last night, for tomorrow they will fight the dragon. The dragon thought that they never spoke of their plan to make sure it would stay a secret, which it would be for the best -it was hardly a fight one dragon against four humans, but that night they asked each other about their plan. The beast almost turned around to offer them some privacy, but he would had heard it anyways.

"wait-what! What do you mean?!" Rai almost screams.

"I don't _know _the plan_._" Kimiko sounds as desperate as Rai does. "I thought Clay knew"

"Yes!" The young village boy adds almost enthusiastically "_I _saw when the plan was being handed to you. Did you lost it? You did, didn't you? Because this cannot be. They should trust _me _with the plan!"

"Pardners, this is what they gave me. I'm sure, and as surprise as you are."

Kimiko moves closer to the floor and inspects the plan -the dragon guesses is a letter of some kind.

"is really all it says? It cannot be, right?" The silence and quiet groans answers the Dragon.

"What do we do?" Rai asks with more insecurity he had ever hear from the young man.

"We wait, as the paper says, to the dragon to come to us" Omi, spoke. A heavy silence follows.

The dragon observes the four figures through the bamboo wall, and he knows they will die.

No one moves or sleeps, and before the sun comes to kill what is left of the night the warriors stand. All dressed on their armors, pick up their weapons, hold their positions, and wait.

"Princess," Rai says softly and there is no movement at all. "it is an honor to fight with you, with all of you"

The dragon distracts himself hearing the heartbeats of the four strong hearts. The warriors move slowly but surely, leaving their weapon that took weeks of work to build behind, and all at the same time step through the bamboo wall. The dragon knew his opponents were young, but he wasn't prepare to face how young they were. The oldest one, an Anglo-man, couldn't be a day older than twenty and he hold a maze with both hands and hide his eyes behind a leather hat. Next to him was a dark skinned young man, he haven't yet loose some boyish features, he might be sixteen at most and he holds two twin swords. Kimiko was wearing a whole ceremonial kimono and pieces of an armor on top, and adorn with hundreds of different sizes daggers. She wore make up to hide her youth, but her body and girlish features scream her age; she must be fifteen or sixteen at most. The last one was Omi, and the dragon recognizes him. Not from the camp but from years before, a mother or a father abandon a baby on the river not far from the dragons cave, and the beast saw him -the nine dots in the youths' forehead meant he was destine to greatness and yet their parents abandon the creature. The animal approached the creature who cry at the lost of warm, and the dragon knew the boy would die -small and weak looking, no one would take pity on him. The beast wasn't thinking when he let a few golden coins and jewels fall in the baby's basket, he knew it would be dishonorable to steal a baby's only possession – who wanted the money would had to take care of the baby. The memory took place eleven years in the past. Now the baby knew how to speak and stand, and his name was Omi. A strange feeling surface in the dragon's chest, he observes Omi standing proud with a simple wooden staff as his weapon, and the dragon wishes today wouldn't be the end of the boy.

The warriors stand, waiting for the dragon to attack, and the dragon had decided that he wouldn't fight them -wouldn't kill Omi, at least that they draw the first attack.

Many were the forgotten emotions that resurfaces in the dragon's mind, but they were the emotions of a man -a man he had stop being centuries ago. However, unable to ignore the strange feelings and memories forming and reappearing inside him, the dragon did what he hadn't done in two centuries.

He spoke.

At first his throat hurt and couldn't form the words, and instead a ear-shattering roar rip through him. The warriors aim to attack, but the dragon simple chuckles at their actions.

"Young warriors," The dragon didn't show how startle he feels at hearing his own voice after so long, it was husky and deep, yet a seductive tone of an sophisticate tongue. The dragon smiles, he had miss his voice.

"why the hurry to meet your end." The warriors hold they positions, but each tremble in their place.

"The only end that will be meet will be yours, Great Dragon!" Omi screams with a voice too high to be intimidating, but it encourages his companions. The dragon smiles at the tittle.

The princess and the dark skinned boy scream in agreement, and then they faces change to plain confusion and alertness. Smoke appear covering the cave and in seconds the heat of fire was eating in the dragon's under belly. The beast rushes out of his cave hurt and confuse, and the four warriors wait for him. Each warrior was stronger than ever expected, Kimiko had tied ribbons over her nose and mouth, and teared her kimono to offer them to her fellows warriors. She was small and disappear in the smoke, from where she aims and shoots her daggers. The dark skinned boy did not fear battle, and move like a man that had live in fights. His sword style was different, new to the dragon, and it attack in random and fleeting motions. The blonde man would run without the intention to hit the dragon, but to serve as shield to the others. The huge hammer used as a shield and hitting the dragon's side to save other warriors. However, it was Omi the gifted warrior. The youth runs through the smoke and over the largest of his companions' back to jump and attack the dragon from the skies. The beast movements stop being perfect and plan. The smoke wall, the growing fire at the dragon's back, the skill warriors, and the little space did not let room for planing. The animal launches forward trying to get away from the fire, and he breaks the bamboo wall and hits the warriors weapon. The wood and even metal of the platform was easily broken by the dragon, and a thick net falls from the top of the bamboo. The net is made out of leather and metal, alike of fish-nets used to trap sharks, sturdy and full with hooks. Once the metal hooks had curve into the dragon's scales any movement tightens the net. The beast cries and howls on pain, and soon he can only move partially his head and and the bottom of his tail.

He sees the four figures come closer, they are afraid of the beast but not let him see his death would be dishonorable, and the youths stand in fronts of the dragon. The four warriors are breathless. Clay has a deep cut on his tight, arm and side. Kimiko tries her best not to fall, she ran during the whole fight, her feet burn form the fire. Raimundo's hands tremble, unable to let go of his swords -even the broken bloody left sword. Omi has his eyes close, both suffering the dragon's fire breath when the youth tried to attack the dragon from the sky.

Between gaps Omi speaks to he beast.

"Great dragon!" It was a silence, all presents breath heavily and Omi tentatively opens his eyes slowly. The eyes of the boy were full of tears, his body trying to relief the pain, but it almost looks like Omi is crying for the dragon's death. The young boy looks like the son of the emperor, The Great Master Dashi, one hundred years ago when he came and said; 'You had lost yourself, and the man you were is long gone. Please, find him, and peace on death. Good-bye...'

"Great Dragon!" Omi said again, now that he can see his opponent, but he is interrupted.

"Chase" The four warriors blink.

"My name is Chase Young"

The four youths stare in silence, they all had heard the legends but no one had really wanted to believe.

That the Great Master Dashi didn't climb the dragon's mountains to avenge his dear friend, but to kill his dear friend Chase Young.

Chase observes the true sink on the warriors, and he inspects the weapons left. A broken sword and a blunted one -because of the dragon's scales. Tiny nettles that would be deathly on humans and most creatures, but not in a dragon -at least that they plan to make Chase eat them. A broken hammer -it could kill the dragon, but it might take the night. Last was burned off wooden staff. Not that the dragon wanted to die, but if he had to he would prefer to be in battle -to be outwitted.

"You are very skillful fighters, and I underestimated you because of youth. I accept my defeat and won't implore for mercy, since I do not deserve such a virtue, but I do deserve knowledge." The four heads nod, still ingesting information -the dragon could speak civilize-, and unsure where Chase was going, so the four heads just nod again.

"I'm honor that you will face me during my end, but my end wouldn't had come without the strategy. Without the plan -without the trap and fire, this battle would had end _very_ differently"

Chase lets the new idea sink, and enjoys the look in each face once they had come to the realization.

"So, the master mind is my opponent as much as you are."

The next was a hard true to swallow, to say that someone who didn't risk their life in battle deserves as much glory as the wounded warriors. Chase enjoys seeing the hit in each on their pride.

"You are right" Finally spoke the blonde man.

"However, he won't face you. I don't think he is brave enough to face your corpse" Raimundo adds.

The dragon makes a mocking 'o' and his tail very slowly curves inside the net and cuts the leather strings on his leg.

"He was hired by the emperor, and so are we" Kimiko explains.

"So, that is. My death and your bravery was bounty"

The dark headed boy nods while the other three assure the dragon it wasn't about the money.

"I feel so relief!"

Chase was actually relief, his back left leg was free and his tail was working in the next one.

"Yet, I'm still no please. Could you tell me the names that brought me to my knees."

The dragon felt so cheesy after that line but he needs to buy time.

"I'm Kimiko Tohomiko, Princess of Hanade and I came to fight you to prove myself worthy of the throne" Kimiko bows perfectly.

"Raimundo Pedrosa, sailor and merchandiser."

"Clay Bealy, I fought you because you had taken too much from the land and too many before their time." Chase nods in fake approval.

"I'm Omi." 'Omi' Chase thinks 'simply Omi, no last name -no family' "I came here to become the next dragon warrior." 'You should had been' Chase still thinks, too busy trying to free himself, distract the warriors, and thinking of the kid he should had save and train -and Chase doesn't hear the footsteps that direct towards him.

"I'm the duke of Ireland, Malbosa; Jack Spicer."

Chase turns to see the owner of the voice, another young voice, and he sees a beautiful young man. It takes a long moment for Chase to drink up what he sees. A man no yet twenty, dress on heavy western cloths and adorn with tick jewelry that only make his thin features stand out even more. His thin oval face with high cheek bones, and his skin no fair but white, as milk but captivating as moonlight. Jack's plum lips smirk, and his big ruby eyes shine with pride. The white hair is short and unruly, and a small army marching behind the boy's silhouette.

"What?!" one of the warriors yell, obviously annoyed at what Jack saw as necessary. However, not the dragon or the duke move, both stare into each other -trying to dominated the other. Chase cuts the net and set free his third leg free and stands. The look in the albino's eyes when he sees the dragon suddenly become twice and more his height. When the deathly beast shadows the duke.

"I will take over the world" Jack says before the beast runs off.


	3. The Duke

'I will take over the world' Jack had thought, 'first China.' Jack felt so confident, everything was as he planned it, and the mighty dragon was laying in the floor like a street dog. To see a legendary creature defeated at the mercy of the young albino, it assured Jack that he can conquer the world.

"I'm the duke of Ireland, Malbosa; Jack Spicer."

His young voice full with new found confidence, it would had startled his father and mother but Jack couldn't bring himself to care, and the beast turned to look him in the eye. Both creatures took each others' presences. The deep green scales dripping dark blood, the beautiful black straits on the beast's face twisted, and the molten golden eyes that seem to burned Jack's face.

Jack had smiled to the creature, grimed at the defeated dragon.

Then the animal stood, and he became a mountain in Jack's perception. An immense mountain of scales that will not be conquer. He stood less than a meter from Spicer, drops of hot blood staining Jack's cape, and one hit would be enough to take Jack's life.

_It can't be_

Jack thought over, and over. His fast mind stuck in the same thought.

_It can't be_

Jack would never defeat this monster, conquer China or take over the world.

_It can't be true._

"I will take over the world" Jack had whisper without thinking, he wanted his killer to know that Jack Spicer was meant to take over the world, but then the dragon left.

Everything else was a blurred.

The four warriors had tried to go after the dragon, but they didn't had the weapons or stamina to followed the beast.

The general of the army had asked the Duke 'what should be do?'

Jack asked for advise, 'This is not as planned, I thought he would be dead -the beast is wounded but the must know the forest better than your gods. What do you advise, since you live under the monster's shadow for longer than I had'

They talked for an hour or so, but Jack can only remember pieces.

The army took the treasures from the dragon's cave.

The warriors' wounds were attended.

Jack drove his horse, and the next thing he understands is that he is on the emperor's palace and that Jack had to report the outcome of his mission.

_It can't be_.

Jack is still on shock, and someone is taking him to a corner but he doesn't know who.

He knows that his plan had fail, and he can't defeat the dragon, conquer China or take over the world.

_My father was right._

_It can't be._

_It can't be._

Pain flushes over Jack's left cheek; someone slap him.

"Pull yourself together!" Raimundo was shaking Jack.

The Duke pushes the younger male, but doesn't explain what had happen. Jack had suffer of shocks on the past, and Raimundo had seen it many times on sailors who are too scare to react but their body keeps moving out of habit -of course he had never meet someone who could had a conversation while being on shock, but the Duke was certainly a strange character.

The other three were confuse but there were more important matters to discuss.

"what will you tell the emperor?"

Kimiko asks, caring little that she was talking so casually to men.

Silence follow, the emperor was not a man known for his kindness.

"The beast is severally wound-"

"Chase" Jack turns to the smallest warrior. "His name is Chase Young."

It was strange to discover that what you hunt suddenly becomes a who, and the _whom _has a name. The creatures golden eyes reappear on the Duke's memory.

"He is wound" Jack concentrates on the positives, "he could die out of blood lost from the battle, and if he doesn't he couldn't had gone far" Jack didn't believe his own words. The beast wouldn't die easily, Chase wouldn't be defeated by an untreated wound, and he wouldn't get lost on the shallow side of the forest. Chase will survive, he will fight back.

"I must come with another plan" Jack says, and before anyone could object or agree they are call by a messenger.

"The emperor is ready"

The warriors and the strategist embrace themselves, Hannibal Roy Bean is not known for his kindness.


	4. The Emperor's desicions

Hannibal Roy Bean was impressed, but not pleased. He never expected for the Duke's plan to work, or for any of the warriors to survive. The emperor simple wanted to test his old student, curious if Chase Young was weak enough to kill. It was a surprised to heard of the dragon running to the forest with the tail between his paws. Chase Young was weak, wounded and with no shelter to turn to, it was the ideal moment to kill him, if Hannibal Bean had any intention to destroy his facade as the emperor.

Yet, if he didn't act quickly while Chase was still weak the dragon could take this opportunity to attack, and Chase Young was not to take lightly not even now. Over all it was very infuriating.

"Your -" The Duke can't finish, as the Emperor silences him. It had been over a hour since the warriors and the strategist wait for the emperor's thrown room to be heard. Hannibal enjoys the anxiety that builds on his guesses, it is funny to Hannibal to see them struggle in silence.

"Great Emperor," The little princess walks in front of the rest and kneels to continue. "We had marched, waited and fought the terrible dragon Chase Young. Even though the monster had escaped, our efforts had not been on vain, he is hurt and vulnerable, yet so are we. However, with an army as small as fifty warriors, and our combine efforts the beast will be slay." The princess lifts her head to make eye contact with the emperor, the man pays attention on her matters and use of the word 'warriors' instead of 'men.' "I give you my word; the dragon will be slay"

The emperor smiles, showing his rotten yellow teeth, and enjoys hurting the girl's pride.

"And what value does a woman's word has? Especially when it comes to battle." The wince on Tohomiko's face was small, but Hannibal knew he had hit her deep.

"Learn your place, princess." the emperor switches his attention to the albino. "And do you plan to talk for yourself or are you going to let a woman defend you?" The insult didn't hit the Duke as desire, most likely because he had hear it plenty of times -and also because he believes women are terribly fringing and had long ago decided to always avoid crossing them.

"I'm both surprise and sorry for our failure, Great Emperor. Yet, the dragon is weak, if we act quick then we can slay the beast."

There was a long pause before the emperor answers.

"No"

The single word hurts the warriors and the strategist on an unknown level.

"You had all fail me. Now, I will decide." Five heads nod out reflex more than anything. "I will order to set fire to the mountain and forest."

All the presents were shaken by the newly form decision, but only one of them stands to speak against it.

"There are many** villages through the mountains! **Many more that** need the forest **for hunting, collecting- **THIS WOULD KILL SO MANY INNOCENTS!" **The blonde tall man had tower the rest like a beast and projects as much pressure as one, if this happens many will die.

"The villages will be relocated down to the shore, and the unfortunate to die on the fire can be consider fallen soldiers. It is tragic but necessary to kill the merciless beast." The emperor seems unaffected over taking such a extreme decision, and pays no real interest on the words of the foreigner. The calm gentle giant breathes heavily while his heavy steps takes him closer to the monster sitting on the palace's thrown. A delicate hand poses over Bielay's fist.

"You cannot if you are dead" The princess mirrors the same words said to her only weeks ago. Clay nods slowly and lets himself fall on the floor.

They are dismiss.

The all walk on silence, unsure of what to say or do but sure that is not over.

"Did you notice?"

All the males turn towards the princess.

"When I spoke of the dragon, his reaction?"

"Well," Omi starts "you did speak out place for a women" Tohomiko hits the younger male for little care of being observe by others.

"The terrible dragon Chase Young..." The Duke mimics.

"He didn't question that I call him by a name, or the name itself."

The information is absorb but is ultimately useless against the emperor, or the fires that soon will burn down the mountain.

"We need to save the people, move them to safety" The tallest of them proposes, and the smallest interrupts him.

"So, then they can starve and d- perish. You cannot teach an old cow to fish!"

All eyes exchange information, and a good-bye.

"Sorry, my ship seals tonight -can't miss it." Rai says and runs away.

"I'm sorry" The Duke says before running after Rai.

There are three warriors left, but one leaves.

Omi observers his companion, and sighs. A worry line forming on the youth's face.

"We had no time to loose."


End file.
